In partnership with Warner Bros. UK
In Supergirl, the latest DC Studios movie to hit the big screen, we’re introduced to an outsider on a mission. Played by Milly Alcock (House Of The Dragon, Sirens), Kara Zor-El is an interplanetary nomad who forms an unlikely partnership with Ruthye Marye Knoll (Eve Ridley), a teenage girl desperate to avenge her family’s death.
Alcock’s Kara is tough, tenacious and occasionally reckless, and she has an infectious renegade attitude. So, here are 15 punky bangers and soulful bops to play before you watch the movie. Make sure you have your headphones handy because you’ll want to crank up the volume.
Sleigh Bells – ‘This Summer’
The Brooklyn duo’s headbanging hit features the fatalistic refrain “this summer might be your last”. Lean, mean and ear-bleedingly loud, it’s an unstoppable sonic assault that will get you ready to take on the world. One supervillain at a time.
Halsey – ‘Safeword’
The artist born Ashley Frangipane channels riot grrrl icons Bikini Kill on this sex-positive banger. “I’m not a criminal, I’m just a wild child,” she sings over fast and frantic guitars. It’s a song about celebrating your agency and owning your desires: quintessentially Kara Zor-El.
Bikini Kill – ‘Rebel Girl’
Speaking of Bikini Kill, their 1993 signature song really sums up Kara’s renegade attitude. “When she walks, the revolution’s coming,” frontwoman Kathleen Hanna sings admiringly. It’s a galvanising and thrillingly noisy addition to your Supergirl playlist.
X-Ray Spex – ‘Oh Bondage Up Yours!’
Milly Alcock brings punk rock energy to Supergirl, so a classic punk rock anthem will get you buzzing before the film. This howl of feminine power begins with an iconic intro from singer Poly Styrene: “Some people think little girls should be seen and not heard, but I think ‘oh bondage, up yours!'” Kara would certainly approve.
Wet Leg – ‘Catch These Fists’
This dance-punk bop is all about protecting your personal space on a night out. “I don’t want your love, I just wanna fight,” Wet Leg‘s Rhian Teasdale sings on the chorus. It’s a great hype song for Kara, who has incredible physicality and an ability to wrongfoot anyone charging her way.
Peaches – ‘Boys Wanna Be Her’
Does any song capture Kara’s transcendent charisma more than Peaches‘ glam-punk anthem? “The girls wanna be her, the boys wanna be her,” the Canadian genre alchemist sings. “I wanna be her, yes I do.” It’s exactly how we felt after watching the Supergirl trailer.
Wolf Alice – ‘Smile’
“I ain’t afraid, though my steps appear tentative,” Wolf Alice‘s Ellie Rowsell sings on this alt-rock stomper. “I scope it out, then I throw myself into it.” It’s the kind of song that would help Kara grapple with the risks, responsibilities and personal cost of becoming an all-powerful superhero.
Françoise Hardy – ‘Le Temps de L’amour’
Though Kara grows more fearless and formidable as the film progresses, she never becomes an unfeeling machine. Played with real emotional depth by Alcock, she’s in touch with her vulnerabilities throughout. We think this melancholy French chanson would be perfect to represent the character’s more reflective moments.
Olivia Rodrigo – ‘Brutal’
This brilliantly brash thrasher has a sentiment we can all relate to: “God, it’s brutal out here.” It applies when you’re stuck in traffic while travelling to the cinema and, well, when you arrive on Earth and have to live up to your cousin Superman. Which is precisely what Kara has to contend with in Supergirl.
The Limiñanas – ‘(I’ve Got) A Trouble In Mind’
Throughout the movie, Kara is figuring out her place in a world that has given her incredible powers but no crash course on how to use them. This spindly, somewhat unsettling garage-rock banger, sung in French and English, has a similar vibe.
Billie Eilish – ‘Bad Guy’
One of the most exciting and freshest sounding chart-toppers in years, ‘Bad Guy’ ripped up the pop rulebook when it came out in 2019 – and announced Billie as Gen-Z’s leading new artist. Supergirl does a similar job for the action blockbuster. And she also fights quite a few bad guys.
Joan Jett And The Blackhearts – ‘Bad Reputation’
Indefatigable. Uncompromising. Unrelenting. These are words that perfectly describe Kara and Joan Jett, the hard-rocking godmother of punk. For this reason, at least one of Jett’s swaggering anthems is a must-listen before you watch Supergirl. Why not whack on ‘Cherry Bomb’ and ‘Victim Of Circumstance’ for good measure, too?
Rilo Kiley – ‘Silver Lining’
“I was your silver lining, but now I’m gold,” sings frontwoman Jenny Lewis on this swooning indie-soul tune. It’s a song about finding the light in the dark, a dichotomy Kara has to navigate as she overcomes trauma to fulfil her true potential. And it’ll be stuck in your head for days.
Kim Wilde – ‘Kids In America’
Above all, Supergirl’s big-screen outing is fuelled by an overwhelming sense of fun. No track embodies that party-starting ethos more than ’80s legend Kim Wilde‘s euphoric sing-a-long ‘Kids In America’. It’ll have you bopping in the bus on the way to the cinema.
Blondie – ‘Call Me’
This ’80s new wave smash soundtracks the first Supergirl teaser trailer. It’s a killer tune that complements the movie on several levels. Like Blondie‘s Debbie Harry, Kara is cool, charismatic and completely unfazed by anything standing in her way. One of the costumes even features a vintage Blondie tee.
‘Supergirl’ is in cinemas from June 25